https://www.rco.org.uk/news_recent.php RCO News en https://www.rco.org.uk/news_displaystory.php?newsid=420 https://www.rco.org.uk/news_displaystory.php?newsid=420 Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0100 Colleague in Choral Directing of the Royal College of Organists (CChD(RCO)) Elaine Stevenson (Dundee) The successful organ candidates were: Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO) Alfred Beston (Orpington) Jonathan Bolena (Staunton, VA, USA) Holly Broadbent (Perth, WA, Australia) Mitchell Farquharson (Ware) Callum Knox (Queenscliff, NSW, Australia) Jack McCabe (Bangor, Co. Down) Jack Wilson (Belfast) Limpus Prize, Frederick Shinn Prize, and Durrant Prize Alfred Beston Harding Prize and Durrant Prize Alfred Beston Samuel Baker Prize Alfred Beston Associateship of the Royal College of Organists (ARCO) Vladimir Antonov-Charsky (London) Sam Barber (Brentwood) Matthew Breen (Cork, Republic of Ireland) William Brooke (Ashburton) Michael Chamberlain (Portsmouth) Wing Chi Samantha Chan (Hong Kong, China) Louisa Denby (Cambridge) George Finney (Stratford-upon-Avon) Nicholas Friedersdorff (Leicester) Richard Gooding (Darlington) Nicky Grant (Stirling) Davon Halim (Oxford) Caius Lee (Bradford) John Newton (Southampton) Manav Paul (Potters Bar) Eleanor Rosser (Stockport) Timothy Selman (Lincoln) Jonathan Smith (Lanark) Yipeng Xu (London) Limpus Prize, Frederick Shinn Prize, and Durrant Prize Eleanor Rosser Sawyer Prize and Durrant Prize Davon Halim Lord St Audries Prize Eleanor Rosser Sowerbutts Prize and Durrant Prize Yipeng Xu Doris Wookey Prize Davon Halim Samuel Baker Prize Davon Halim Colleague of the Royal College of Organists (CRCO) Nicholas Jenkins (London) Scarlett Martin (Haslemere) Andrew Pitman (Welwyn) Oliver Sexton (Bexhill) Themis Toumpoulidis (Stonehouse) Sowerbutts Prize and Durrant Prize Nicholas Jenkins Freemasons’ Prize (United Grand Lodge of England) Nicholas Jenkins Oliver Sexton Certificate of Accredited Membership (CAM) Benedict Aderoh (Huntingdon), Stage 3 Carmel Dominic (Isleworth), Stage 3 Theodora Joseph (London), Stage 3  Benjamin Lijesen (Peterborough), Stage 3 Anya Stoyanov (London), Stage 2 Yann Stoyanov (London), Stage 2  Scottish Churches Organist Training Scheme (SCOTS) Grant Forrest (Stirling), Stage 1 Barbara Stevenson (Stromness), Stage 1]]> https://www.rco.org.uk/news_displaystory.php?newsid=419 https://www.rco.org.uk/news_displaystory.php?newsid=419 Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100 Fantaisie in A by César Franck, Naiades by Louis Vierne and the Toccata from the Suite by Maurice Duruflé in his winning recital.. The other finalists were Marcus McDevitt, Senior Organ Scholar at New College, Oxford, and Conor McGlone, recently appointed Assistant Director of Music at Birmingham Cathedral. As well as a first prize of £1,200, and prizes of £400 for the two other finalists, the competition offers prize winners recital opportunities including Birmingham Town Hall, Bristol Cathedral, Selwyn College, Cambridge and Great St Mary’s, the University Church, Cambridge. Elizabeth Lesan was awarded the Susi Jeans Memorial Prize for her performance in the semi-final. The competition judges were Sarah MacDonald (RCO Immediate Past President, Director of Music at Selwyn College Cambridge, Director of the Girl Choristers at Ely Cathedral, Cambridge University Organist), Mark Lee (IAO President and Director of Music at Bristol Cathedral) and, for the final, Peter King, Past President of the IAO. Sarah MacDonald said: “This year’s competitors brought imagination, insight and flair to their performances. The standard throughout was extremely exceptional, and every player demonstrated consummate musicianship and impressive discipline, which made our job as adjudicators quite difficult! We so enjoyed hearing them play, and we look forward to seeing what they achieve in the future.” Mark Lee added: “The competition offers an important platform for talented young organists, and it was wonderful to hear them bring the instruments and repertoire so vividly to life. Congratulations to our winner and to every competitor who contributed to such a memorable event.” ]]> https://www.rco.org.uk/news_displaystory.php?newsid=416 https://www.rco.org.uk/news_displaystory.php?newsid=416 Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100 https://www.rco.org.uk/news_displaystory.php?newsid=415 https://www.rco.org.uk/news_displaystory.php?newsid=415 Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0100 www.iao.org.uk/festival26 ]]> https://www.rco.org.uk/news_displaystory.php?newsid=414 https://www.rco.org.uk/news_displaystory.php?newsid=414 Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0100 Fingers and Feet: A Journey to the Organ Bench, developed with the Diocese of Leeds Keyboard Studies Programme and published by the Royal School of Church Music, provides an accessible starting point for those inspired to begin playing following their first encounter with the instrument. Visit www.firststoporgan.com for more information, and to begin your journey with ‘The King of Instruments’! ]]>